U.S. patent application number 10/367042 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-16 for turbine engine bearing support.
Invention is credited to DiTomasso, John C..
Application Number | 20050129505 10/367042 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32681747 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050129505 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DiTomasso, John C. |
June 16, 2005 |
TURBINE ENGINE BEARING SUPPORT
Abstract
A bearing support for a rotor of an aircraft turbine engine
which includes a front bearing and a front bearing support and
bearing strut for securely attaching the front bearing, to the
aircraft turbine engine support structure, wherein the front
bearing support and bearing strut are integral with the aircraft
turbine engine support structure.
Inventors: |
DiTomasso, John C.;
(Glastonbury, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACHMAN & LAPOINTE, P.C.
900 CHAPEL STREET
SUITE 1201
NEW HAVEN
CT
06510
US
|
Family ID: |
32681747 |
Appl. No.: |
10/367042 |
Filed: |
February 14, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
415/9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16C 2360/23 20130101;
F02C 7/20 20130101; Y02T 50/671 20130101; Y02T 50/60 20130101; F01D
25/162 20130101; F02C 7/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
415/009 |
International
Class: |
F01D 021/00; F04D
029/08; F01B 025/16; F01D 025/16 |
Claims
1-3. (canceled)
4. The aircraft turbine engine according to claim 11, wherein said
front bearing support is a one piece cast structure with the
bearing strut so that the front bearing support and bearing strut
are an integral unit.
5. (canceled)
6. The aircraft turbine engine according to claim 11, wherein the
front bearing support is connected to the bearing strut at the
integral joint which is located at a distance from the engine
support structure.
7-10. (canceled)
11. In an aircraft turbine engine comprising: a rotor having a
shaft which rotates about an axis of rotation during balanced
engine operation; a front bearing and a bearing support structure
for supporting the shaft for rotation, said bearing support
structure including a front bearing support and a bearing strut for
securely attaching the front bearing to the aircraft turbine engine
support structure, wherein the bearing strut is a one piece cast
structure with a portion of the aircraft turbine engine support
structure; and a strut flange with a bolted joint on the bearing
strut, wherein an integral joint is positioned between the bolted
joint and the engine support structure, and including a plurality
of spaced apart struts, wherein the distance between the strut
flange and the engine support structure is at least half the span
in between struts.
12. (canceled)
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an aircraft turbine engine
bearing support which eliminates or greatly minimizes stress
concentration on the joint or interface between the bearing
supports and the aircraft turbine engine support structure, and
provides improved stiffness at the joint or interface.
[0002] An aircraft turbine engine bearing support system includes a
front bearing and a rear bearing, and a first and second bearing
support for securely attaching the front bearing and the rear
bearing to the aircraft turbine engine support structure. The first
bearing support is generally bolted to the aircraft turbine engine
support structure, the second bearing support connected to the
first bearing support. U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,269 shows such a system.
The bolted joint or interface creates an undesirable high stress
concentration and reduces the strength of the unit.
[0003] It is highly desirable and an object of the present
invention to overcome these disadvantages and provide a turbine
engine bearing support that eliminates or greatly reduces high
stress concentration on the joint or interface between the bearing
supports and the aircraft turbine engine support structure.
[0004] A further object of the present invention is to provide a
turbine engine bearing support that provides increased stiffness
and improved strength.
[0005] Further objects and advantages of the present invention will
appear hereinbelow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with the present invention it has now been
found that the foregoing objects and advantages are readily
obtained.
[0007] The present invention comprises: an aircraft turbine engine
including a rotor having a shaft which rotates about an axis of
rotation during balanced engine operation; a front bearing and a
bearing support structure for supporting the shaft for rotation,
said bearing support structure including a front bearing support
and a bearing strut for securely attaching the front bearing to the
aircraft turbine engine support structure, wherein the bearing
strut is integral with the turbine engine support structure, and
desirably the joint or interface between the bearing strut and the
aircraft turbine engine support structure is a one-piece casting.
Desirably, the front bearing support is integral with the bearing
strut so that the front bearing support and bearing strut are an
integral unit and preferably a one-piece casting with said aircraft
turbine engine support structure. Desirably, also, the front
bearing support extends between the front bearing and the bearing
strut so that an integral joint or interface is provided between
the front bearing support, and the bearing strut and the aircraft
turbine engine support structure.
[0008] Further features of the present invention will appear
hereinbelow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0009] The present invention will be made readily understandable
from a consideration of the following illustrative drawings,
wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view illustrating a prior art
aircraft turbine engine bearing support;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 1
illustrating a representative embodiment of a turbine bearing
support of the present invention; and
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front view of the turbine bearing support of
FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] The present invention will be described with reference to
well known aircraft turbine engines per se, with FIG. 1 showing a
prior art bearing support system.
[0014] With reference to FIG. 1, a fan stage of an aircraft turbine
engine 10 includes a fan stage having a fan rotor shaft 12 which
rotates around a geometric axis of rotation R. The fan stage as
well known includes a plurality of fan blades regularly distributed
around the periphery of the rotor shaft 12.
[0015] The rotor shaft 12 is guided during normal rotation of the
shaft around the geometric axis R on a bearing support system 14
which includes a front bearing 16 and a rear bearing (not shown),
and a front bearing support 18 connected to a bearing support strut
20 for attaching the front bearing 16 to the engine support
structure 22. The rear bearing is also connected to the bearing
support system with the front bearing positioned between the engine
support structure and the rear bearing.
[0016] In accordance with FIG. 1, the front bearing support 18 is
connected to the bearing strut 20 at a joint 24 which is located at
a distance from the joint 26 between the strut 20 and the engine
support structure 22.
[0017] However, it can be clearly seen in FIG. 1 that the bearing
support system is connected to the engine support structure at
interface 26 by bolting 28. This results in a high stress
concentration on the joint or interface between the bearing support
strut and engine support structure, reduces the stiffness of the
joint and decreases the strength thereof. Also, this requires a
large flange and large bolts to withstand the locally high loads,
with minimal distortion.
[0018] In accordance with the structure of the present invention
shown in FIG. 2, a fan stage of an aircraft turbine engine 100 is
provided which is generally similar to that shown in FIG. 1.
[0019] As with FIG. 1, a rotor shaft is guided during normal
rotation of the shaft around the geometric axis R' on a bearing
support system 114 which includes a front bearing and a rear
bearing (not shown), and a front bearing support 118 and a bearing
support strut 120 for attaching the front and rear bearings to the
engine support structure 122.
[0020] However, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 2, the bearing
support strut 120 is integral with the turbine engine support
structure 122 and the joint or interface 126 between the strut 120
and the turbine engine support structure 122 is a one-piece casting
which extends outwardly from the engine support structure 122 to
the front bearing support 118 at integral interface 124. Thus the
front bearing support 118 is integral with the bearing strut 120,
and the front bearing support and bearing strut form a one-piece
casting with the aircraft turbine engine support structure 122.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the front bearing support 118 extends
from the front bearing to strut 120, and strut 120 extends to the
engine support structure 122 and includes an integral interface or
joint 126 between the strut 120 and engine support structure plus
an integral interface 124 between front bearing support 118 and
strut 120, which overcomes the disadvantages of the bolted joint or
interface 26 of FIG. 1.
[0022] Strut flange 130 is provided on the bearing support strut
120 spaced away from the integral interface 124 between front
bearing support 118 and strut 120, i.e., integral interface 124 is
positioned between strut flange 130 and support structure 122.
Strut flange 130 is connected together by bolt 132. By moving the
bolted struct flange forward, away from the engine support
structure 122 and away from the front bearing support 118, the
local stresses at the strut flange are minimized, allowing a
lighter flange, with smaller and/or fewer bolts. Large strut
gussets 134 are used at the struts to fair the strut structure into
the thin hoop structure of the bearing support. The gussets, and
the fairing of the structure is not possible with the typical
design. Since the gussets are local to struts, the parasitic mass
between the struts is reduced. The large gussets also serve to
stiffen the structure considerably, with adding minimal weight. In
order to have enough room to fair the structure smoothly, the
distance between the flange 130 and the engine support structure
122 should preferably be at least half the span 136 in-between
struts.
[0023] The structure of the present invention provides considerable
advantages. The bolted joint between the support strut and the
aircraft turbine engine support structure is eliminated, which
eliminates the high stress concentration on the joint by
eliminating the bolted joint and provides the advantages discussed
above. The fully integrated joint or interface provides a stiffer
structure with higher strength. In addition, the interface between
the front bearing support is integral with the strut and moved away
from the engine support structure, thereby minimizing stress and
increasing strength.
[0024] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to
the illustrations described and shown herein, which are deemed to
be merely illustrative of the best modes of carrying out the
invention, and which are susceptible of modification of form, size,
arrangement of parts and details of operation. The invention rather
is intended to encompass all such modifications which are within
its spirit and scope as defined by the claims.
* * * * *